Beyonce is currently prepping to finish her tour and release a new LP in 2010. Meanwhile, a new song from Billboard’s female artist of the decade has surfaced. There is no word on whether this Michael Jackson ‘Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough’ sample from her recent studio sessions or a previously unreleased track from her other projects.

This record is a fun 70’s throwback that depicts Beyonce using a lot more restraint than she has done in recent times. Her voice easily glides over the Quincy Jones-produced melody without overpowering or underwhelming the listener. If this is similar to the organic sound that Beyonce is trying to capture on her next ‘Indie-inspired’ album, then I am all ears.

Hit or Miss?

According to reports Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson is said to be expecting her 2nd child with fiancé David Otunga. If true, the news comes just four months  after Hudson gave birth to the couple’s first child, David Otunga Jr.

A source tells Star Magazine: “Jennifer (27) was in total shock when she found out she was having another baby.

“She had wanted some space between the kids’ ages. [But] she and David love kids. It’s another thing for them to celebrate during the holidays.” {Source}

Should the reports prove true, many congratulations are in store for Jennifer and David!

Your thoughts?

Your thoughts?

Many thanks to the THOUSANDS of you who have already voted in the That Grape Juice: End of Year Awards 2009. If you have yet to do so, or simply want to vote again…

Click here to vote!

Remember, voting ends tomorrow, with the winners being announced on Christmas Day!

* In keeping an eye on the tally, I must say some of the artists in the lead of some categories are quite surprising!

Mariah Carey and Ne-Yo have been busy on the set of their new video for their collaborative effort, the ‘Angels Cry (Remix)’. The clip is being directed by Carey’s husband, Nick Cannon, who also directed her ‘Up Out My Face (Remix)’ which features rapper Nicki Minaj. While these shots don’t look as intriguing as those of the other video, I am still eager to see what two of R&B’s major players can cook up. Peep more pics from the shoot below:

What do you think of the pics?

That Grape Juice recently caught up with hit-maker Rico Love, the creative force behind chart smashes from the likes of  Beyonce (‘Sweet Dreams’), Chris Brown, Usher and Keri Hilson. With the 27 year old being named as one the main players in the making of our girl Kelly Rowland’s new album, we were keen to find out the latest on the Destiny’s Child alumni’s project.

As ever, we ask the questions you really want answers to! Check out what Rico had to say about Ms. Kelly’s LP, new label and more after the jump…

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Singer Steph Jones has put a fresh spin on one of the most popular Christmas classics, ‘Little Drummer Boy’. The video for the Tara Razavi/Tasha Hunter-produced track was directed by Valerie Babayan. Jones’s long-time friend Jordin Sparks also makes a surprising cameo in the clip.

Jones definitely breathed new life into this song. It is always interesting to see singers tackle Holiday standards but it is even more intriguing when they add their own flavour to the mix. From the use of the instrumentation to the studio productions, not to mention the twist of Caribbean phrasing he dropped in the verse (“little drummer bwoy”), the elements all added up to a very fun track. Good stuff.

Hit or Miss?

After a relatively quiet 2009, comedienne rapper Khia has unveiled the trailer for her new reality series ‘Anger Management’, which she’s attempting to shop around to a number of TV stations. With it being a minute since her tomfoolery has received any attention, I almost forgot how much of a boiling hot mess she is (of course, I mean that in the nicest way possible). I mean honestly this looks like it was filmed on a mobile phone and edited on Windows Movie Maker.

Though her self-belief is somewhat admirable, it is that much more hilarious. If ever there was a case of talking the talk, but not being able to walk the walk, this would be it. Ms. Khia would be much less of an embarrassment if she was a struggling artist who actually churned out good material, instead of a one-hit wonder trying to cling on to her one taste of (for the lack of a better word) fame. Sigh…

In any case, I’ll leave you with one of Khia’s most hilarious outings, her stint on VH1’s ‘Miss Rap Supreme’ from last year….LOL

Your thoughts?

As previously reported, ‘One In A Lifetime’ will serve as one of Monica‘s lead singles from her forthcoming ‘Still Standing’ LP. Today saw the surfacing of the single version of the song featuring all-new vocals and mixed and mastered (an earlier draft of which has been floating around for some time now). Sounding even better, surely this is a smash-in-waiting.

Hit or Miss?

Diva Mary J. Blige made a promotional appearance on BET’s ‘106 & Park’ last evening. The singer spoke about a range of topics, including her new album ‘Stronger With Each Tear’, as well as performed her new single ‘I Am‘. Peep the full interview below:

Interview: Part 1

Interview: Part 2

Thoughts?

Lady GaGa recently spoke to MTV News about her revamped ‘Monster Ball Tour’ for 2010. The fierce one divulged into details about the Tour’s focus around bringing “showbiz” back to the stage. Check out an excerpt from the interview below:

“…for the next version of the Monster Ball, which is going to be in February when I begin in the U.K. with my arena tour, I’m throwing out the stage. My team thinks I’m completely psychotic. But I don’t f—ing care what they think.”

Gaga wouldn’t divulge too many secrets of the new Monster Ball, but she did say that Danish pop act Alphabeat will serve as the opening act. And she also hinted that her fans will be in for a very big show, in just about every conceivable way.

“Well, just to give you an idea, the stage is about four times the size of the one we’re on now and conceptually, it’s completely different,” Gaga said. “One thing that has been lost over the past 10-15 years, in pop music, is the idea of showbiz. And this is definitely going to bring that back.”

Always the performer, I am sure that GaGa fans will be leaving the arenas aptly satisfied. GaGa is one of the few acts to emerge in recent history who have managed to leave audiences utterly shell-shocked both by her music and her stage shows. In less than two years, she has positioned herself at the forefront of Pop music’s elite and if she manages to maintain this momentum, 2010 will be the ‘year of GaGa’ once again.

Thoughts?

Peep the video for ‘Young Forever’, the latest single to be lifted from Jay-Z’s ‘The Blueprint 3’ LP. Brit singer Mr Hudson features.

Your thoughts?